Super Bowl

Are you ready for two weeks of hype for a Brett Favre versus Peyton Manning Super Bowl?

Well TOO FREAKING BAD! The Saints were having none of it today. And what a coincidence that in a year marred by missed field goals, it was on the leg of lesser-known Saints kicker Garrett Hartley that the Saints earned a spot in their first ever

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bsp; This phenomena reared its head during the regular season, but in the biggest game of the year, Super Bowl XLIII.  Why is the leader of such a sub par offense (22nd in the league during the regular season) the engineer of so many come from behind wins? When examined, two major reasons can be found.

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Coming off a super bowl victory last season, hopes couldn't be higher for the 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers, as they should be.  While the team is returning 20 out of 22 starters from that super bowl run (only losing Larry Foote and Bryant Mcfadden), things begin to look bleak as we look at the possible roster a year from now.  In 2010, the Steelers will have an alarming number of key players that will be free agents if these players do not re-sign.

Continue reading "Trouble Ahead for the Steelers"

h Steelers needed to drive 78 yards to the end zone, regaining the lead and winning the forty-third Super Bowl. I won’t waste your time recapping plays like James Harrison’s 100-yard interception return or Larry Fitzgerald’s 64-yard catch and run. You watched those on Sunday. Instead, I’ll try to hit the nuances and little snippets you may have missed as you stuffed down wings and left the room during gameplay so you wouldn’t have to miss a commercial.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Super Bowl XLIII"

Arizona:  This should be an amazing Super Bowl…aren’t they all?  Even the blowouts are fun…because it’s the biggest game of the year!  These two teams know each other fairly well.  The coaching staff of the Cardinals is littered with Pittsburgh connections.  Some say that this should give the Cardinals the advantage…and I agree.  The Steelers may have the No. 1 defense in the league, but that won’t make a difference to Kurt Warner and the Cards.  Look for a high scoring affair in this contest.  Boldin should have a great game, with everyone keying on Fitzgerald.  He may even give Warner a run for MVP honors.  Pittsburgh will keep it close until the 3rd quarter, but then the Cards will fly to victory and bring the Lombardi Trophy to the desert.  Arizona 41, Pittsburgh 27.   

Continue reading "Predictions Super Bowl XLIII"

Despite the fact that I would kind of like to see the Arizona Cardinals pull off an upset victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, I think that the Yellow and Black will prevail in this one.  The way I see it, the Cardinals are good enough to score two TDs, but not more than one field goal.  The Steelers, on the other hand, will also get two TD scores against an Arizona defense that really isn't that great (unless they can force turnovers, which the Steelers don't give up), plus kick a few more field goals to pull out the win.

Continue reading "Super Bowl Prediction: Steelers 23, Cardinals 17"

37-year old Kurt Warner is leading his second team to a Super Bowl and will be the key to any Cardinal upset. Well, he could be the key if the offensive line protects him against Dick LeBeau’s blitzing linebackers. Pittsburgh plays a 3-4 defense, meaning three linemen and four linebackers. In that type of defense, you’re typically going to rush at least one linebacker in passing situations. The Steeler linebackers excel at sacking the quarterback, and defensive MVP James Harrison isn’t the only concern for the Cardinal offensive line. Every Steeler linebacker is a playmaker and makes the man beside him that much better. Keeping Warner upright is of the utmost importance, because he’s known to have a fumbling problem as he gets pressured up the middle. As long as Russ Grimm’s offensive line lets Kurt step up in the pocket, he’ll be accurate and quick on his deliveries. How else are Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston going to be able to get all of their touches? Another important note will be the running of Edgerrin James out of the backfield. His production could offset the pass rush by keeping the defense on the heels and not on their toes. If he fails to make any significant ground or offensive coordinator Todd Haley gives up on the run, Arizona will be in a load of trouble. Troy Polamalu will be stalking in the secondary, ready to snap up an interception of any forced or pressured Warner throws. If Arizona falls behind early, it will be an almost insurmountable climb out of the hole.

Continue reading "Joey A's Super Bowl Opening Drive: Game Preview"

This season’s trip to the Super Bowl is a testament to Ben Roethlisberger’s ability to make the big play when it matters, unlike their Super Bowl season in 2005 when he was just managing the game and handing off to Jerome Bettis. Roethlisberger is a top-tier NFL quarterback because of his ability to take big hits and keep the play alive, which ironically is the biggest flaw in his game and could cut his career short. He had a few scares this year, injuring his throwing shoulder, throwing hand, and suffering a mild concussion in the regular season finale, but he’s rebounded dramatically to lead his team through the playoffs against brutal competition in the Chargers and rival Ravens. Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes are a dangerous combination at wide receiver, with Ward’s blocking and chain-moving grabs and Holmes’s explosive speed. Tight end Heath Miller, Big Ben’s favorite target, missed a few games during the middle of the year, but finished strong as the Steelers climbed to the number two seed in the AFC. Miller is a big part of the Steelers’ red zone offense, and Ben loves to look his way. On special teams, Holmes has bolstered his value with timely touchdowns or great field position for his ball-control offense off of his punt returns.

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The Eagles grabbed a lead in the fourth quarter, but the Cardinals proved they belonged in the Super Bowl with an outstanding drive to regain the lead and win the NFC title. The Arizona defense has been the biggest surprise coming out of these three victories as they have completely shut down their opponent’s running game.

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The first year I ever watched a Super Bowl was after the 1996 season, when the Green Bay Packers (whom I, ironically, as a Vikings fan, was rooting for) beat the New England Patriots thanks in large part to a kickoff return by Desmond Howard for a touchdown to open the second half (if my memory serves me right).

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the freakin' Cardinals are in the Super Bowl. For me this is just something that I've thought was impossible for at least the last 20 years. I am not a Cardinal fan at all. I just have a mutual respect for them out of the love for the game that I have. I also had the pleasure of serving in Iraq with late Pat Tillman. I follow the Cardinals kind of like my In-Laws. When something important happens I take notice, but most of the time I could care less. What a fool I was!

Continue reading "Super Bowl set for Sunday!!!"

ts right now I should be doing nothing but preparing for the "holiest" of all days...Super Bowl Sunday.  Now don't get me wrong, I will watch the game on Sunday and enjoy it, but I really don't get into all the hype that precedes it.  In fact, I really dislike the fact that two weeks must commence between the AFC/NFC Championships and the overall title game (although I DO like the fact that it gives the players a chance to rest up in order to give their best performances).  However, at about this time every year, I start to become hooked by another sport...bowling.  I'm usually just a baseball (Twins) and football (Vikings) guy (I haven't watched an entire basketball or hockey game in years), so that February-March void needs to be filled with something (and Spring Training doesn't quite cut it).  Thus, I turn my attention to bowling.  Whether it be lacing up the flattened shoes at the actual alley or watching the pros break a sweat over every ball, I love what the sport of bowling represents: the idea that a task (knock down ten pins) that looks so easy can be so frustrating.

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ionships, Gruden has got to be heralded as the greatest coach in Bucs history delivering their only Super Bowl in 2002. They have had several playoff years in his tenure, and despite an unexpected collapse at the end of this season were on pace to make the playoffs again safter starting 9-3.

Continue reading "Passing the Torch in Tampa?"

Cedric Benson; ring any bells? Why the Bears elected to go with Benson instead of Jones after their Super Bowl run two years ago is beyond me. I think that Forte shows high aspirations of filling his shoes. While he seemed a bit banged up towards the end of the season, I think that he is a solid back that could leave Chicago as one of the greats in team history. I'm not sure he would rank with the likes of Jim brown, or Walter Payton, but only time will tell.

Continue reading "Chicago Bears Looking Ahead"

(First of all, I want to sort-of apologize for this picture...I usually don't like to personally attack people on this blog without due cause, but it is just too funny not to put up!)

Now that the proper time to reflect on the Vikings' first-round playoff loss to the Eagles has been taken, I want to comment on what I feel is the biggest area the Vikes should address in the offseason...the Head Coaching position.

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p; If you get the chance…read his book!  

The Eagles are flying high with their Super Bowl run, but I have to say I am disappointed with Donovan McNabb.  What was he thinking of when he picked up the telephone on the Giants sideline?  If that were Terrell Owens or Pacman Jones, Goodell would have suspended them by now.  D-Mac…you know better, don’t you?   

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times this year.  The problem is that with all the pre-season hype about the Cowboys making a Super Bowl run, it’s somewhat of a disappointment that more players were not selected.  I’ll be the first to admit that having 13 players selected from one team is ridiculous.  No team is that good at nearly every position! 

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To add insult to injury, special teams journeyman, David Tyree, followed up his first Super Bowl TD with arguably the greatest catch in the game's history. If he doesn't hold on, the Giants are toast. On the other hand, the last time Jeremy Shockey had a chance to win a big game for his team, he dropped the ball. 

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ting outcomes of football games, although last year I nearly predicted the exact final score of the Super Bowl while hitting on seven of my nine prop bets. (My prediction was 26-17, the final was 29-17.) For whatever reason I had a very good feel for that game. This year's

Continue reading "Super Bowl XLII Prediction"

sterling as it was last year and they would be headed for the playoffs right now and, yes, even the Super Bowl.

Bear's fans unite!! Demand something be done! We're mad as hell and we

Continue reading "Now We Know the Bears Have No NFL Quarterbacks!"